Operating control mechanism for milling machines



y 1939- 1.. F. NENNINGER Ef AL 2,164,334

OPERATING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES Filed May 51, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 WHWIH W whim mi uzw 23 Z34; 2 2b vuc/wto'b LESTEK ENENN/N E/ flew/n 6 (om July 4, 1939.

OI ERATING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. F. NENNINGER r AL Filed May 31. 1934 4.4L W W W W M E J M1 5 78 Z 7! f0 7 3/9 i 54 49 qlml! i/ O 320 4/ 42 4D E2 WIN 6. faEHM y 3 1:. F. NENNINGER ET AL OPERATING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES Filed May 31, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 1939- L. F. NENNINGER ET AL 2,164,884

OPERATING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES Filed May 31, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 4, 1939- L. F. NENNINGER El AL 2,164,884

OPERATING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES Filed May 51, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 y 4, 1939- L. F. NENNINGER ET AL 2,164,884

OPERATING CONTROL: MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES Filed May 31, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 1mm)!" 22 3mm m WW 2 77 1 7% 6mm fax-HM 3543 i/wi/ 6 I s a i 1.. F. NENNINGER El Al. 2,164,384

OPERATING CONTROL; MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES July 4, 1939.

8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 31, 1954 Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES OPERATING CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MILLING MACHINES Lester F. Nenninger, Cincinnati, and Erwin G.

Roehm, Norwood, Ohio, assignors to The Cincinnati Milling Machine Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 31, 1934, Serial No. 728,322

19 Claims.

- Ihis invention relates to milling machines and more particularly to improvements in operating control mechanisms therefor.

One of the objects of this invention is to improve the op-eration and control of a milling machine whereby changes in the rate of relafive movement between the cutter and work may *be effected quietly, quickly and efficiently.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate present limitations of power rate change mechanisms for milling machinesand so construct the same that the .next rate lower than the present rate may be effected by decreasing the present rate one step rather than passing through the whole progression such as is necessary with pres- 3 vide an improved power operable rate change mechanism for a machine tool transmission which has the capacity not only to change rates by increasing or decreasing the same, but also to impart a slow, steady, positive rate of rotation to the transmission gear train to assist intermeshing of the gears and facilitating the shift.

'A still further object of this invention is to pro.-

. vide means for imparting a slow rotation to the gear train during gear shifting which may be operated in properly timed relation in accord-- ance with the diameter and pitch of the particular gears to be intermeshed whereby substantially the same rates of relative movement between a moving g'ear tooth and a stationary gear tooth isobtained regardless of gear diameters, thereby facilitating intermeshing in a quiet, efiicient manner.

Other objects and advantages .of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrative of one embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that any modifications may be made in the specific structural details thereof within.

the scope of the appended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like or similar parts:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a milling machine embodying the princples of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the column of the machine showing a conventional shiftable gear type of variable speed spindle transmission.

Figure 3 is an expanded view of a shiftable gear type of feed transmission embodied in the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view showing the gear train which interconnects the feed box with the various movable work supporting members of the machine.

Figure 5 is a view showing the control cams for shifting the gears of the feed transmission.

Figure 6 is a section through the control box taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6 showing the control cams for shifting gears of the spindle transmission. N

Figure 8 is a detailed section on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an elevational view partly in section showing the -mechanism interconnecting the front and rear control levers.

Figure 10 is a detail section on the line Ill-I0 of Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a detail section on the line llll of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a detail section on the line l2-l2 of Figure 9.

Figure. 13 is an expanded view of the power train for shifting gears and jogging the spindle train.

Figure 14 is a section on the line I4-l4 of Figure 9.

Figure 15 is a detail section on the line |5i5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a detail view of the reversing mechanism of the power rate change mechanism.

Figure 17 is a detailed view of the interlock plate.

Figure 18 is an expanded view showing the cam paths in the control cams for the spindle transmission.

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic view showing the whole sequence of changes effectible in the spindle transmission.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 20 in Figure 1 indicates the column of a conventional milling machine having guideways 2| formed upon one face thereof for receiving a vertically movable knee 22. The knee has horizontal guideways 23 formed on the upper face thereof for receiving and guiding a saddle 24 for horizontal movement toward and from the column and at right angles to the direction of knee adjustment.

The saddle in turn has guideways 25 formed in the upper face thereof for receiving and guiding a table 26 for transverse adjustment relative to a cutter spindle 21 journaled in the column of the machine These parts constitute the work supporting organization of the machine.

The spindle 21 is adapted to receive and rotate an arbor 28 upon which a suitable cutter 29 may be mounted for rotation thereby. The outboard end of the arbor may be supported by an overarm 39 which is adjustable in suitable guideways formed in the top' of the column and which may be provided with apendant 3| on the outer end thereof for receiving and journaling the outboard end of the arbor. The above described elements constitute the main parts of a conventional knee and column type milling machine.

Milling operations are effected by causing rel-f ative movement between the cutter and work and to this end the spindle 21 is rotated by a suitable form of shiftable gear variable speed transmission, one form of which is shown in Figure 2. This transmission comprises a main drive shaft 32 which is adapted to be interconnected by a friction disc clutch 33 with the drive pulley 34. In the present instance this pulley is interconnected by a suitable means, such as a. belt 35, with the small pulley 38 mounted on the end of the armature shaft of the prime mover such as the electric motor 31. The shaft 32 has a first gear couplet 38 splined thereon comprising gears 39 and 49 shiftable into engagement with gears 4| and 42 respectively and carried by shaft 43. The shaft 32 has a second gear couplet 44 splined thereon and comprising gears 45 and 48 shiftable into mesh with gears 41 and 48 respectively also carried by the shaft 43 and fixed therewith. a

A third shaft 49 is journaled in the column and has splined thereon a gear couplet 59 comprising gears 5| and 52 shiftable respectively into mesh with gears 41 and 53 carried by the shaft 43. By means of the three shiftable couplets just described the shaft 32 is capable of imparting eight different rates of rotation'to the shaft 49.

The shaft 49 has a second shiftable gear'54 splined thereon which has a first position, such as that shown in Figure 2, in which the gear meshes directly with gear 55 carried by a fourth shaft 56; and a second position in which the gear 54 engages gear 51, the latter having integral therewith a gear 58 of equal size which meshes with the gear 55. This constitutes a mechanism for reversing the direction of rotation of the spindle.

The shaft 56 is splined for receiving the shiftable gear couplet 59 comprising gears 89 and 5| shiftable into engagement with gears 92 and 83 respectively which are carried by the spindle 21. This last gear couplet makes it possible for the shaft 32 to rotate the cutter spindle at any one of sixteen different speeds.

The couplet 38 is shifted by a fork 94, Figure 7, slidably mounted on a guide rod 85 and interconnected by the pivoted lever 88 to a control cam 81. Likewise the couplet 44 is provided with a shifter fork 68 mounted on the rod 55 and interconnected by the pivoted lever 99 to a control cam 19. The couplet 59 mounted on the shaft 49 has a shifter member 1| whichis pivotally mounted on a pin 12, as shown inFigure 6, for control by cam 13. The couplet 59 is controlled by a shifter fork 14 which is pivotally mounted, as shown in Figure 6, with one end engaging the groove in cam 15.

The table, saddle, and knee are driven through the feed box shown in Figure 3 which receives power from a gear 15 integral with the shaft 11 which supports the pulley 34 and therefore is constantly rotated during operation of the prime mover. The gear 18 is interconnected through the gear train indicated generally by the reference numeral 18 with the shaft 19. This shaftserves to drive the feed transmission and the rapid traverse transmission for the work support organization.

The feed transmission has a primary shaft which is interconnected by gears 8| and 82 to shaft 19 for continuous rotation thereby. The shaft 99 has a first gear couplet 83 and a second gear couplet 84 splined thereon for shifting movement. The couplet 83 comprises gears 85 and 86 shiftable, into mesh with gears 81 and 88 respeok tively carried by shaft 89. Couplet 84 comprises gears 99 and 9| shiftable into mesh respectively with gears 92 and 93 also carried by shaft 89.

A third parallel shaft 94 in the feed transmission has splined thereon a gear couplet 95 comprising gears 96 and 91 shiftable into mesh with gears 98 and 88 respectively and carried by shaft 89. These three couplets make it possible .to rotate the shaft 94 at eight different speeds.

The shaft 94 has gears 99 and I99 fixed thereto which are interengaged by gears I9I and I92 of the couplet I93 shiftably mounted on the spline shaft I94. This shaft also carries a gear I95 which is fixed thereto and inter-meshes with gear I96 mounted on the final output shaft I91. By means of this additional couplet the shaft I91 may be rotated at any one of sixteen speeds. The rapid traverse transmission comprises a gear I98 which is constantly driven by the gear I99 fixed on'the shaft 19. Mounted on the same shaft with gear I98 is a gear ||9 which is connected by an intermediate idler III to the final gear 2 of the rapid traverse transmission, the latter being mounted for free'rotation on the shaft I91.

A feed-rapid traverse selector clutch H3 is splined on the shaft I 91 and is adapted to be interconnected by complementary clutch teeth indicated generally by the reference numeral I I4 'with the final gear I96 of the feed transmission which is also mounted for free rotation on shaft I91. A friction clutch H5 is interposed between the other face of the clutch I I3 and the final drive gears H9 and H1 interconnect shaft I91 with the vertical spline shaft I I8 carried on the exterior of the column of the machine'and inter-engaging a gear 9 which is journaled in the knee 22 and.

movable up and down therewith. The gear train shown in Figure 4 is mostly carried by the knee and comprises a gear I29 intermeshing with gear 'II9 for driving through bevel gearing |2I and spurv gearing I22 a horizontal spline shaft I23. This shaft has slidablysplined thereon a bevel gear I24 which is carried by the saddle and which drives through a bevel gear I25 and shaft I26 a reverser mechanism indicated generally by the is utilized for selectively connecting the feed box with the table lead screw for actuation thereby in opposite directions.

The spurgearing I22 also drives through intermeshing gears I28 and I29 a pair of gears I30 and I3I but in opposite directions for the reason that the gear I28 meshes directly with gear I3I while the interposed idler I29 changes the direction of rotation of the gear I30. These gears are mounted for free rotationon a shaft I32 and connectible therewith by anvintervening clutch I33 for opposite rotation thereof, the shaft I32 being finally connected to the saddle. v The gears I30 and I3I intermesh respectively with gears I34 and I35 mounted for free rotation on the knee drive shaft I36 and intervening clutch I31 serves to connect either of these gears with the shaft. It will now be seen that the shaft I I8 may be operatively connected with either the saddle, table, or knee for selective operation of any of these in opposite directions and at different rates depending upon the setting of the clutch and gears in the feed box.

As shown in Figure 5 the gear couplet 83 of the feed transmission is inter-connected by a shifter fork I38 to a control cam I39. Similarly, the shifter 84 is interconnected by the shifter arm I40 to the control cam I4I These cams have suitably formed grooves therein whereby upon a single rotation thereof the four gears of the couplets will be sequentially moved into driving position, there being one in'driving engagement for each quarter revolution of the shaft I42 which sup-ports the cams. The shaft I42 is connected by gears I43 and I44 in a two to one ratio to shaft I45. This shaft carries a pair of cams I46 and I41 which serve to control through shifters I48 and I49 the couplets I50 and I5I respectively.

The shaft I45 is interconnected through bevel gears I52 and I53 to a power shaft I54,

This invention contemplates an improved operating control mechanism whereby the shifting cams of both transmissions may be interconnected for control by a single lever and whereby either set of cams may be selectively rotated in either direction sothat the desired new rate may be obtained by progressive increase thereto or progressive decrease thereto, thereby reducing the number of intermediate steps to a minimum. Furthermore, the invention contemplates a mechanism which is automatically operable when rate changes are made in one of the transmissions to slowly rotate or jog the same to facilitate intermeshing of the gears.

To this end a shaft I55, Figures '1 and 13, which supports cams 61 and 10 is provided with a first gear I56 through which it receives power, and a second gear I51 of the intermittent type, as shown in Figure 13, having teeth on only one quarter of its periphery. This gear serves to intermittently rotate shaft I58, which bears cam 13, through the mutilated gear I59. The gear I51 is also in a two to one ratio with the gear I59 so that for each revolution of the gear I51 the gear I59 and shaft I58 will be given one-half of a revolution.

The shaft I58 also has an intermittent gear I60 secured thereto, the teeth of which extend around one-half of its periphery for intermeshing with the mutilated gear I6I carried by shaft I62 which supports the cam 15. The gears I60 and I 6I are in a one to one ratio but dueto the intermittent teeth on gear I60 the shaft I62 will'only make one-half a revolution for each revolution of the shaft I58.

The bevel gear I56 on shaft I55 intermeshes with the bevel gear I63 carried by shaft I64. This shaft has a first spur gear I65 which is connected to the large gear I66 for rotating the speed rate indicating dial I61; and a second gear I68 which intermeshes with gear. I69 mounted for free rotation on the shaft I10. Gear I 69 has clutch teeth I1I formed on the hub thereof for inter-engagement with complementary clutch teeth I12formed on shiftable clutch member I13.

The drive shaft I54 for the .feed rate control cams has a spur gear I14 secured to the end thereof, as shown in Figure 13, which is interconnected by an idler I15 and gear I16 to the dial shaft I 11 which shaft has a feedrate dial I18 secured to one end thereof. The shaft I11 has a gear I19 keyed to the other end thereof and inter-connected through the intermediate idler I to the spur gear I8I mounted for free rotation on the shaft I10. 'The gear I8I has clutch teeth I82 formed on the hub thereof for intermeshing with complementary clutch teeth I82 formed on one face of the clutch member I84. The clutches I84 and I 13 are splined on the power shaft I10 and selectively shiftable into mesh -with their respective gears to cause rotation of either the speed rate control cams or the feed rate control cams.

The shaft I10 is driven from the continuously rotating shaft 19 through the following train: A

pair of spiral gears I85 and I86 interconnect shaft 19 with shaft I81 which in turn drives, through spur gears I88 and I89, the shaft I90. The shaft I90 has a shiftable gear I9I splined thereon which has only two positions although it is shown in a midway position in Figure 13, the power transmitting positions being on either side of the position shown. This gear is shifted by a shifter fork I92, Figure 16, fixed with the shifter rod I93 which is interconnected with a crank I94.

The gear I9I has a first position to the left of that shown in Figure 13 in mesh with gear I95 which has integral therewith a gear I96 intermeshing with the drive gear I91 of shaft I10.

The gear I91 is connected to the shaft by a multiple disc friction clutch I98 as more particularly shown in Figure 8 and this clutch is set to provide a safety factor so as to permit slippage and prevent damage to the various cams in case any-'- thing should happento prevent proper intermeshing of the gears.

The gear I9I has a position to the right of that shown in Figure 13 for direct intermeshing with gear I91 to rotate the same in an opposite direction. It will thus be seen that this mechanism is really a reversing mechanism for determining the direction of rotation of the shaft I10 and thereby whether the subsequent rates to be I effected are attained by progressively increasing or by progressively decreasing the present rate. The crank arm I94 which shifts the gear I8I is mounted on shaft I94 which has an arm I99 the end of which fits between a pair of collars 200 fixed to the oscillatable and reciprocable shaft 20I, Figure 6. This shaft has a freely rotatable arm 202 mounted thereon. Thearm is fixed, however, between a collar 200 and a shoulder 202' for axial movement with the shaft. In the end of the arm is formed a socket 203-for receiving the ball end 204- of the manually operable control lever 205 which is supported for universal movement by means of an enlarged ball 206 fitting in the socket 201 carried by the housing 208. It will now be seen that as the lever 205 is moved up or down, it will shift the gear I9I to its various positions.

The shaft I94, which supports arms I94 and I99, also carries a detent member 3 having two notches 3I2 and 3I3 eri'gageable by the pivoted detent 3I4 for holding the parts in either one of two positions. A spring pressed plunger 3I5, Figures 8 and 10, continuously urges the detent 3I4 toward the left and insures completion of any shifting movement.

The lever 205 is laterally movable from the position shown in Figure 8, for selectively engaging the feed or speed control clutches I83 and I12. The feed clutch I83 has a shift lever 209 which is centrally pivoted on pin 2I0, and has a finger 2 in one end thereof engaging the an-- nular groove 2I2 formed in the clutch member I83. The other end of the lever has a depending pin 2l3 engageable by the hook-shaped portion "2I4 of the arm 2I5 which is integral with the slot 22I formed in a shiftable bar 222.

arm 202.

A second shift lever 2 I6 is pivotally mounted on a-pin 2I1 and has a. depending finger 2I8 at one end for engaging the annular groove 2I9 formed in the clutch member I12. lever- 2I5 has a pin 220 which depends into a A spring 223 interconnects the ends of the shifter levers so that each lever acts as an abutment to hold one end of the spring during movement of the other lever. The bar 222 has a notch 224 out in one face thereof for engagement by the head 225 projecting from the arm 2I5. The notch is provided with clearance so that when the control lever 205 is moved upward as viewed in Figure 8, the head 225 will leave the abutment 224 and cause the arm 2I5 to shift only the lever 209 and thereby engage clutch I83 to effect changes in feed rate without disturbing the neutral position of the clutch I12. Upon downward movement of the manual control lever 205, the head 225 on arm 2I5 will move the bar 222 to the left which will cause the lost motion between the pin 220 and the slot 22I to be taken up first and then will cause shifting of the clutch I12 into engagement with gear I60. At the same time the hook-shaped portion 2 will move away from the pin 2I3 carried by lever 209 with the I result that the feed clutch I03 will remain disengaged during engagement of the clutch I12.

.A spring pressed detent 220 is provided for holding the lever 202 in a neutral position and this detent engages a V-shaped groove 221 formed in the arm 202. As shown in Figure 6, the notch 221 is sufiiciently long to maintain engagement with the detent during up and down movement of the shaft 20I. lever 205 has two directions t movement, one of which is to select whether the rate change is to be made in the feed transmission, or in the speed transmission and the other movement determines the manner of effecting the rate change such as by progressive increase or progressive de- ..pair 233 ,and 234-on the other ,side but thelatter pair 'is arranged alternately with respect to the first pair. Theboss 229 has a cover plate 235 The other end of It will now be seen that the-- which, as shown in Figure 9, has an H-shaped slot cut therein, but when the plate 228 is in the position shown in Figure 9 the lever 205 can only be moved to the right, which limits the function of the control lever 205 to engagement and disengagement of the feed rate control clutch I83. The plate 228 may be manually moved upward to align the slots 233 and 234 with the slots in the left half of the H-plate and disalign the slots 23I and 232 with the slots in the right half of the H-plate thereby permitting movement of the lever 205 only in a direction to engage the speed rate control clutch I12. As shown in Figure 8, a spring pressed detent 236 serves to hold the plate 228 in either one of its two positions.

To further facilitate shifting of the gears in the speed transmission, there has been provided a power means for jogging the gears in the speed train, that is, imparting a slow, steady rotation thereto during the shifting movement. This power means is so arranged as to become automatically effective when the clutch I12 is en.-.

gaged, but is ineffective when the feed clutch I83 is engaged. To this end the shaft 32 is provided with a bevel gear 231 which, as shown in Figure 2, is connected to the shaft by means of a frictionclutch 238. The gear 231 meshes with a bevel gear 239 mounted on the end of shaft 240, this shaft being connectible by the shiftable clutch 24I to the gear couplet 242 which is mounted for free rotation on the shaft. The couplet 242 comprises a relatively large gear 243 and a relatively smaller gear 244, these gears being adapted to be selectively engaged by gear 245 or gear I9I. In other words, when the reverser gear I 9| is shifted to the left as viewed in Figure 13, it also intermeshes gear 245 with gear 243 to make possible a relatively slow jogging of the speed train and when shifted to the right from the position shown, the gear I9I will also be intermeshed with gear 244 to effect a faster rate of jogging to the spindle train. These gear connections will be reversed every time the reverser gear I9I is shifted, but power jogging of the train will be determined by the clutch 24I. This clutch is only engaged when the speed rate control clutch I12-is engaged. This result is automatically accomplished in the following manner;

The clutch 2, as shown in Figure 6, has an annular groove 245 into which fits a pin 241 carried by one arm of the pivoted bell crank 248. The other arm 249 of the bell crank is connected by a link 250 to a second swinging arm 25I mounted in parallel relation to-the arm 249 so that the link 250 travels in substantially a straight line. The arm 25I is pivoted on the pin 252 which is threaded in a fixed part 253 of the column. The arm 25I carries a pin 254 which rides in acam slot 255 formed in the'bar 222 so that upon movement of the bar to the left the link 250 will effect oscillation of the bell crank 248 and engage clutch 2. The, bar 222 is guided in a slot 256 formed in the part 253 and held in place by a cap 251 and screws 258. The cap 251 also has a bore through which the rod 259 slides, the other end of the rod being fixed in a lug 260 carried by the bar. A spring 26I surrounds the rod 259 so as to normally urge the bar 222 toward the right. it .will now be seen that the bar 222 is moved toward the left only when the clutch I12 is ens gaged and therefore the clutch 2 is only engaged when the speed clutch I12 is utilized. The lost motion in the slot 2 I6 makes it possible for From Figure 8 the clutch 24I to be engaged and cause power rotation of the gears before the clutch I12 is engaged to rotate the cams and cause shifting of the gears.

The bar 222 has another lug 262 integral therewith which is adapted to engage any one of four equally spaced notches 263 formed in the member 264 which is rotatable with shaft I55. This serves as an automatic positive detent and since it is interconnected by means of the bar 222 and shifter arm 2I6 with the clutch I12, it will be apparent that if the lever 205 is returned to a neutral position before the 'control cam carried by the shaft I55 has completed its movement to the next position, that the lug 262 will engage the periphery of the member 264 to prevent the spring 266 from shifting the bar toward the right and effecting disengagement of the shaft I12. But as soon as the member 264 has rotated to a position that the lug 262 begins to enter one of the grooves 263, it will permit gradual disengagement of the clutch I12 and as the movement of the member 264 continues the lug 262will seat itself in the groove and act as a positive lock to prevent further rotation and also will effect complete disengagement of the clutch I12 to prevent further application of power to the cam. It will thus be seen that these parts cooperate with one another to disconnect the power at the proper time and positively lock the cam in its various positions.

The feed and speed rate control clutches and the reverser gear are also connected for operation from the front of the machine. To this end the shaft 20I has a ball-ended projection 266 which is operable to reciprocate shaft 20I and thereby cause oscillation of lever I99. The projection 266 is also operable to rotate shaft 2! but it will be notedindependent of arm 202. This is to permit side movement of either front or rear control lever without causing movement of the other, which is necessary because the interlock plate 228 associated with each lever may not be in the same position.

Operation of the speed and feed control clutches by shaft 20I is effected in the following manner. A sleeve 329 is fixed against axial movement in bearing 330 but issplined on shaft 20I for rotation therewith. The lower end of sleeve 330 has an arm 2 I5 secured thereto which is exactly the same shape as arm 2I5 shown in Figure 8 and which lies just above this arm whereby upon rotation of shaft 20I either clutch shifter fork may be moved without interference from arm 2I5. Similarly, arm 2I5 may shift the clutches without interference from arm 2I5'.

Axial movement of shaft 20I will effect operation of lever I99, the shaft moving relative to the sleeve 329. The ball-ended projection 266 of shaft 20I fits into a bore 261 formed in the end of lever 268 fixed with shaft 269. The shaft 269 is reciprocable as well as rotatable to impart the same movements to the shaft 20I. The shaft 269, as more particularly shown in Figures 9 and 14, has a first annular grooved member 210 fixed therewith which is engaged by a ball-ended lever 21I fixed with the vertically rotatable rod 212. This shaft also has a ball-ended lever 213, Figure 15, engaging a notch in shifter rod 214 which in turn has a notch 215 engaged by the ball-ended lever 216 carried by a second vertical rod 211.

The rods 212 and 211 are splined as shown in Figure 9 and extend through a pair of ball-ended levers 218 and 219, Figure 11, which levers are carried by a housing 280 fixed to the rear of the knee 22. The lever 218 projects into a slot formed in the rod 28I which rod has a second slot 282, as shown in Figure 12, into which fits the ballended lever 283 fixed with the horizontal rod 284.

The arm 219 splined on shaft 211 engages a groove 285 formed in the side of shiftable rod 286 which rod has a second slot 281 out in the top thereof for receiving the ball-ended lever 288 carried by a second horizontal rod 289.

The rods 284 and 289 have a splined connection with rotatable sleeves 290 and 29I carried by the saddle 24 and each sleeve has eccentric pins 292 and 293 respectively but the pin 293 is displaced 90 degrees relative to the pin 292 so that upon rotation of the member 294 the sleeve 29I will be rotated but the sleeve 290 will remain stationary. On the other hand upon vertical movement of the member 294 the pin 293 will effect oscillation of sleeve 290 but the pin 292 will ride in the slot 295 without effecting rotation of sleeve 29I. The member 294 is connected through the ballended slot connection 295 to the universally movable lever 291 which is mounted in the same manner as control lever 205, and also is provided withguide plates similar to those associated with the lever 205. A detent plunger 298 serves to hold the lever in a neutral position with respect to its movement in a horizontal plane. By means of this construction it will be seen that the operating control mechanism may be manipulated from either the front of the machine or from a control station at the side of the machine.

To further facilitate theshifting of gears in the speed transmission, the cam paths in the various control cams 61, 10, 13 and 15 are so formed as to disengage their respective gears in a predetermined sequence and re-engage them in their new positions in a second sequence which is in fact a reverse of the first sequence. In other words, the gears are disengaged in successive order from the last shaft of "the transmission to the primary shaft 32, and then engaged in reverse order, whereby at an intermediate point of time in the shift the jogging power is only rotating shaft 32 and when the power shift has been completed with respect to the shiftable gears carried thereby, the shaft 43 will be rotating to assist inter-meshing of the gears carried by the couplet 50 which gears at this moment will be stationary. Upon completion of the shifting of couplet 50 the shaft 49 will be power jogged thereby causing rotation of shaft 56 to facilitate inter-meshing of either of the gears of couplet 59 with respect to the stationary gears 62 and 63. The formation of the cam paths to effect these results is illustrated more particularly in Figure 18. The cam path 299 formed in the cam 10 controls the position of the gear couplet 44. This path is shown in expanded view in Figure 18 and the center line 300 represents the neutral position of the couplet 44. The ordinate 30I indicates the lowest speed of the transmission and since the cam path is to the right of the neutral line, the gear 45 will be engaged.

The cam path 302 of cam 61 positions the couplet 38 in a neutral position for the lowest speed because it will be noticed that the cam path is central of the neutral line 303 for the lowest speed. The cam 13 in this figure has a cam path 304 which is drawn with respect to its neutral line 305 and for the lowest speed of the machine the gear 52 is engaged. The cam 15 has a cam path 306 which is drawn with respect to its neutral line 301 and for the lowest speed the gear 6| is engaged with gear 63.

Upon rotation of the cams 61 and of a revolution, the shifter fork pins will lie on the ordinate 308 which will result in gear 45 being withdrawn from mesh with gear 41 and gear 46 moved into mesh with gear 48. It will be noted that as soon as gear 45 is withdrawn from mesh with gear 41 that shaft 43 will stop and the jogging power will only rotate shaft 32 thereby rotating gear 46 at a slow, steady rate relative to gear 48 to facilitate inter-meshing thereof. Due to the intermittent gearing described in connection with the cams, the earns 13 and 15 will not be rotated and therefore the respective gears connected therewith will remain in the position shown by the ordinate 30l. I

Upon further rotation of cams 61 and 10 through another quarter revolution the shifter fork pins will be on a line with ordinate 309, thereby moving the 'couplet 44 to a neutral position and engaging gear 40 of couplet 38 with gear 42. Further rotation of cams 61 and 10 through another quarter revolution will position the shifter fork pins on the ordinate 3|0, thereby withdrawing gear 40 and shifting gear 39 into mesh with gear 4|. The first set of four speeds has now been completed. Upon rotation of the cams 61 and 10 through another quarter of a revolution the gear couplets 38 and 44 will again be positioned in accordance with ordinate 30|, but during the quarter of a revolution the cam 13 has been rotated through a half of a revolution due to the intermittent gear ratio which means that theshifter fork pin has moved from the ordinate 30| down to the ordinate 309, during the time that the pin in cam path 299 has moved from ordinate 30| to 308. By following the cam path 304, it will be seen that during the first part of the movement the couplet 50 has been moved to a neutral position where it tarries for approximately one-sixth of a revolution, during which time the gear 45 has moved sufficiently to inter-mesh with the gear 41 and cause rotation of the shaft 43 so that gear 41 is now rotating and gear 5| which is to be inter-meshed therewith will be stationary. This makes it possible during the final sixth of a revolution of cam 13 to move the non-rotating gear 5| into mesh with the slow rotating gear 41. This same procedure is followed with the other, shifts made by gears 5|, 52, 60 and 6|. In other words, the

last two gear couplets are first withdrawn to a neutral position and then the first shift in connection with shaft 32 is sufficiently completed to cause rotation of the remaining shafts in the order in which the connections are made. The diagram in Figure 19 shows the complete sequence of shifts and it will be noted that the gears are withdrawn in the order previously explained regardless of direction.

An interlock mechanism has been provided which positively locks out operation of the speed change mechanism during rotation of the spindle.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the machine is provided with a starting lever 3| 6 supported by shaft 311 which has integral crank 3 8 connected by link 3|9 to pivoted shifter fork 320. This fork shifts the main clutch 33 which controls rotation of the spindle. The shiftable member 32| of the clutch has a cone-shaped surface 322 which engages a similar shaped fixed surface 323 when moved to the disengaged position shown in Figure 2, thus 4 constituting a brake.

Interconnected with the pivoted fork 320 are a 10 a quarter pair of links 324 and 325, each pivotally connected to the interlock member 326. This member has a bolt 321 in the end thereof which has a coneshaped end 328 which is raised by the link 324 upon engagement of the main clutch into a position opposite the end of bar 222, Figurefi, to prevent longitudinal movement thereof and thereby prevent engagement of clutch I12. Y

When the main clutch is disengaged, the member 326 is moved downward to the position shown in Figures 2 and 6, so that upon shifting of bar 222 the beveled end 329 thereof will act on the end of bolt 321 to cam member 326 downward .to cause the link 325 to effect sufficient disengagement of the brake 32| to permit jogging the gear train. In doing this the bar 222 rides over the the rate changer is being operated.

The purpose of the two speeds for the jogging train is to insure peripheral gear speeds which are substantially uniform regardless of gear diameters. It will be noted from Figure 2 that gear 60 is larger in diameter than gear 6|. The gear 60 is only moved during progressive increase of rate and then only once. Also the gear 6| is intermeshed with gear 63 only once and that is during progressive decrease in rate. Further, at the time that the gear 60 is moved into mesh with gear 62, the preceding train is set to produce its lowest speed. At the time that the gear 6| is moved into mesh with gear 63, the preceding train is set to produce its highest speed. This means that if the jogging of shaft 32 is at the same rate during both shifts that the gear 6| will be rotated at a higher rate than gear 60. But due to the wide difference in diameter, the

peripheral speed of the teeth of gear 60 would .than it is when the gear 6| is being shifted.

There has thus been provided an improved mechanism for the purposes disclosed, which is simple in construction, and which enhances the operation and control of milling'machines.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine tool having a spindle, a prime mover, a variable speed transmission coupled to the spindle, means for coupling the transmission to the prime mover, a branch train continuously actuated by the prime mover, a power rate change mechanism for said transmission, means to reversely connect said mechanism to the branch train for increasing or decreasing the rate of rotation of the spindle, a second train connected to the. variable speed transmission, and meansto connect the branch train to said second train when said coupling means is disconnected for effecting rotation 'of the transmission during operation'of. the power rate change mechanism.

2. In a machine tool having a variable speed shiftable gear transmission for variable actuation of a part, the combination of mechanism for changing the rate of said actuation including a source of power, poweroperable means to slowly rotate the gears, power operable means for shiftingthe gears, and a single control for connecting each of said means to said'source of power 'sequentlally in the order named whereby the gears will be slowly rotated during power shifting thereof.

3. In a machine tool the combination with a prime mover, a variable speed gear transmission and a final part to be actuated thereby, of means to couple and uncouple the transmission with the prime mover, said means including a driving clutch and an opposed brake, power operable means for jogging the transmission independently of said clutch, additional -power operable means for shifting the gears of the transmission, and a single control operable to effect sequentially the release of said brake, coupling of the jogging means to the prime mover, and coup-ling of the power shifting means to the prime mover, and means to prevent operation of the control when the transmission and prime mover are coupled.

4. In a machine tool transmission, the combination of a power shaft, a second shaft, means to couple the second shaft to the power shaft for rotation thereby in one direction, a third shaft, means to couple the third shaft to the power shaft for rotation thereby at one speed, a gear mounted on the power shaft, and means to shift the gear to effect reverse rotation of the first shaft and a change of rate in the rotation of the second shaft.

5. In a machine tool transmission, the combination of a power shaft, 9. second shaft, means to couple the second shaft to the power shaft for rotation thereby in one direction, a third shaft, means to couple the third shaft to the power shaft for rotation at one speed, a gear mounted on the power shaft, means to shift the gear to effect reverse rotation of the first shaft and a change of rate in the rotation of the secondshaft, final transmissions actuable by the first shaft and the second shaft respectively, and clutches sequentially engageable to couple the first and second shaft to their respective final transmissions.

6. In a machine tool transmission, the combination of a power shaft, a second shaft, means to couple the second shaft to the power shaft for rotation thereby in one direction, a third shaft, means to couple the third shaft to the power shaft for rotation at one speed, a gear mounted on the power shaft, means to shift the gear to break said couplings and effect reverse rotation of the first shaft and a change of rate in the rotation of the second shaft, final transmissions actuable by the first shaft and the second shaft respectively, clutches sequentially engageable to couple the first and second shaft to their respective transmissions, and a single control lever for sequentially shifting said clutches.

'7. In a machine tool transmission the combination of a power shaft, a second shaft, means to couple'the second shaft to the power shaft for rotation thereby in one direction, a third shaft, means to couple the third shaft to the power shaft for rotation at one speed, a gear mounted on the power shaft, means to shift the gear to recouple the shafts for reverse rotation of the first shaft and a change of rate in the rotation of the second shaft, final transmissions actuable by the first shaft and the second shaft respectively, clutches sequentially engageable to couple the first and second shaft to the respective transmissions, a single control lever for sequentiallyshifting said clutches, and shifting said gear, said lever having a movement in one direction for shifting the gear and a movement in a second direction for sequentially shifting said clutches. 8. In a machine tool transmission having a first branch and a second branch selectively connectibleto a final part for actuation thereof, the

combination of separate clutches for effecting the respective connections, and interlock means to prevent simultaneous'engagement of said clutches including a first part for shifting one clutch and a second part connected for movement with the second clutch, one of said parts having two positions in the first of' which it interferes with the movement of the other part, and in the second of which it is interfered with by the other part.

9. In a variable speed transmission, a first shaft having fixed gears thereon, a second shaft having gears thereon selectively shiftable int'o mesh with said fixed gears to vary the rate coupling between said shafts, a third shaft having gears thereon selectively shiftable into meshwith said fixed gears to vary the rate coupling between the first shaft and the third shaft, means to couple one of the last named shafts to a source of power, and means to neutralize the shiftable gears on one shaft during shifting of the gears on the other shaft.

10. Ina variable speed gear train including a prime mover, a. driven part and a plurality of intervening gear couplets selectively meshable to provide gear trains for driving the part from the prime mover at different rates, the combination with a rate change mechanism for said transmission including a part rotatable in one direction to shift said gear couplets and progressively increase the rate of drive of the driven part and shiftable mechanism for the gear train during rate change comprising means to operate the train at one rate during shifting to effect an increase in the rate of drive effected by the variable speed gear train, and alternative means to actuate the train at a different rate during shifting to effect a decreasein the power rate transmittable by the variable speed gear train to the given part.

11. In a milling machine having a feed transmission and a speed transmission, and separate power rate change mechanisms for each transmission, a control lever for connecting said mechanisms topower, said lever having different movements for effecting the different connectlons, and preselecting means positionable to confine the movements of the lever to the control of one of said mechanisms.

12. In a milling machine having a feed transmission and a speed transmission, separate power operable rate change mechanisms for each transmission, and individual clutches for connecting each mechanism for power actuation, a control lever having a direct connection with one of said clutches, and a lost motion connection with the other of said clutches, and means operable by the lever during take-up of said lost motion to connect a power jogger to the transmission for slow rotation thereof during effectu'ation of rate.

changes therein.

13. The improvement in a milling machine having a cutter spindle and a prime mover, a transmission for variably coupling the prime mover to the spindle, including shiftable train of gears of different diameters selectively inter-engageable with other gears for varying the rate of spindle rotation, and power operable means for shifting said gears, comprising an auxiliary power operable mechanism for slowly rotating the gears during shifting to facilitate inter-engagement thereof, said mechanism including means for ef-,-'

fecting one rate of rotation of the shiftable gear train when a smaller gear is to be engaged, means for effecting another rate of rotation when a larger gear is to be engaged.

14. The improvement in a milling machine having a rotatable part and a prime mover, a transmission for coupling the prime mover to the part including groups of serially arranged different sized shiftable gears selectively movable into engagement with other gears for selectively establishing different series of gear trains to vary the rate of rotation of the part, and power operable rate change mechanism for shifting the gears, comprising an auxiliary power operable train for slowly rotating the shiftable gearsduring shifting movement thereof, said train including means for effecting a slow rate of rotation of the transmission when large gears are shifted, and a faster rate of rotation when small gears are shifted, whereby the peripheral speeds of all shiftable gears will be substantially the same during intermeshing thereof.

15. In a machine tool having a movable part and a prime mover for actuation thereof, the combination of motion transmitting means including a plurality of shiftable motion transmitting members for variably coupling the prime mover to the part, means including a power train for shifting said members to change the rate coupling between the prime mover and the part, a second power train for imparting a relatively slow rate of actuation to said. members during shifting thereof, a control having an operative and an inoperative position, and means actuable by said control upon movement to an operative position to connect said power trains to the prime mover.

16. In a machine tool, thecombination'with a variable speed shiftable gear transmission, of means to shift said gears including a power train, means to slowly rotate said gears during shifting, including a second power train, a common source of power, a control, motion transmitting means operable by the control for coupling one of said trains" to power and other means operable by said motion transmitting means for coupling the other train to said source of power.

17. In a machine tool transmission, the combination with a source of power, of a first branch transmission, a second branch transmission, a

shif'table gear couplet movable to a first position for connecting said transmissions to the power source for actuation thereby, into a second position for reversely connecting one branch transmission to the source of power and connecting the other branch transmission for actuation by the source of power at a different rate, and means for shifting said gear couplet.

18. In a machine tool the combination of a transmission train including a device movable between driving and motion interrupting positions, a power operable shifter for said device, a power train connectible for operation of said shifter, a controller for effecting alternative connections of said power train and shifter respectively for the driving and interrupting positions of said device, and means associated with said transmission and operative in accordance with the operation of said controller to effect a period of relatively slow transmission speed during movement of said device to driving position.

19. In a machine tool the combination of a transmission train including a device movable between a normal speed driving position and another position, a power operable shifter for said device, a power train connectible for operation of said shifter, a controller for effecting alternative connections of said power train and shifter respectively for the different positions of said device, and means associated with said transmission and operative in accordance with the i operation of said controller to effect a substantial period of relatively slow transmission speed during movement of said device to said normal speed position.

LESTER F. NENNINGER. ERWIN G. ROEHM. 

